Historically, when an object was deemed to require movement, the object was moved by hand and placed in a new position by the individual desirous of the move. Similar behavior can be seen in animals that dig holes or break ground to reach a food source located under the surface of the ground. As time passed, objects requiring movement became bigger, heavier, and more numerous, while people continued the development of stone and metal tools used for shelter and hunting. Archeologists have uncovered sites containing tools dating to antiquity, and it follows a progression of the ability of humans to create new and better tools.
The dawn of time and tool development happened concomitantly, and proceeded for a long period time without needing an ergonomic analysis of every new task to facilitate the approval of every new invention designed. One such tool is the shovel, a tool for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Shovels are extremely common tools used extensively in agriculture, construction, and gardening. Most shovels are hand tools consisting of a broad blade with edges or sides that are fixed to a medium-length handle. The blades are commonly made of sheet steel or hard plastic. Shovel handles are usually made of wood, especially specific varieties such as ash or maple, or a glass-reinforced plastic such as fiberglass.
Hand shovel blades made of sheet steel usually have a folded seam or hem at the back to make a socket for the handle. This fold also provides extra rigidity to the blade. The handles are usually riveted in place and a T-piece is commonly fitted to the end of the handle to aid grip and control where the shovel is designed for moving soil and heavy materials. The term shovel is also applied to larger excavating machines called power shovels, which are designed for the same purpose, namely, digging, lifting, and moving material. Modern power shovels are the descendants of steam shovels.
Hand shovels have been adapted for many different tasks and environments. They can be optimized for a single task or designed as crossover or compromise multitaskers. Many current discussions of shovel use revolve around the shoveling of snow, sometimes referred to as a white scourge of the upper latitudes. Many scholarly articles describe the result of too much, or too fast snow shoveling, not enough warm up exercise, low liquid intake and improper body motion during shoveling, and so on. The fact that snow has been falling since time immemorial has not dampened the interest in the design of shovels, sometimes with no regard to the well being of the user.
Recently, more than 118,000 people in a calendar year were treated in hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices, clinics and other medical settings for injuries that happened while shoveling or removing ice and snow manually. Additionally, more than 16,000 were injured using snow blowers. Types of injuries resulting from shoveling and snow blowing can include sprains and strains, particularly in the back and shoulders, as well as lacerations and finger amputations.
Warnings regarding shoveling include: always speak with your doctor before shoveling because this activity places high stress on the heart, and dress appropriately in light, layered, water-repellent clothing that provides both ventilation and insulation. Also important is wearing appropriate head coverings, as well as mittens or gloves and thick, warm socks. Clear snow early and often by beginning to shovel when a light covering of snow is on the ground, to avoid dealing with packed, heavy snow. Do not throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that stresses your back. Be sure you can see what you are shoveling. While not exhaustive, the listing above serves as a reminder that snow shoveling is a serious and can be a potentially harmful business.
Some aspects of proper shovel use are having a shovel that is comfortable for a person of a given height and strength, and having a shovel that is neither too heavy nor too long. Placement of hands with as much space between them on the tool grip increases leverage. Push the snow instead of lifting it. Scoop small amounts of snow into the shovel and walk to where it is to be dumped. Holding a shovelful of snow with ones arms outstretched places extra stress on the spine. As can be observed, many factors must be considered when shoveling snow, but such factors also apply to shoveling dirt, sand, rocks, and other objects and materials.